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Advent Wreaths
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Advent Wreaths

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The Advent wreath is a Lutheran custom that originated in Eastern Germany. They are round as a symbol of God's eternity and mercy, of which every season of Advent is a new reminder; and it is made of evergreens to symbolize God's "everlastingness" and our immortality. Green is also the Church's color of hope and new life. Four candles, three purple or violet that represent penance, sorrow, and longing expectation and one rose or pink that represents the hope and coming joy are placed within to represent the four weeks of Advent. They are replaced with white candles for the Christmas season which ends with Epiphany. Wreaths are an ancient symbol of victory and symbolize the "fulfillment of time" in the coming of Christ and the glory of His birth.

In old German tradition, on the first Sunday of Advent, the children write their Christmas letter to the Christ child, or Christkindl, who accompanied by her angels, will bring the Christmas tree and all the good things on it and under it. In Denmark, the Christmas season begins on December 1, with the lighting of the calendar candle. The candle is marked with 24 lines, one for each day before Christmas; the burning of the candle represents the waiting and preparing for Christ's coming.

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